5 More Things to Do Instead of Exchanging Gifts This Holiday Season

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A few years ago I wrote a post about what people can do instead of exchanging gifts over the holiday season. It’s proven to be an extremely popular topic for my blog this time of year, so I thought I’d update that list with 5 more suggestions.

6. Bake Cookies. The nice thing about this idea is that there are many ways to include people of all ages and abilities. If someone isn’t physically able to stand and roll out the dough or isn’t old enough yet to use a hot stove, he or she could still decorate the cookies. This is also something that could easily be scaled up or down depending on the group’s attention span. I have recipes that will make a dozen cookies and other recipes that easily make 5 or 6 times that amount.

7. Take a Hike. Taking a long walk is one of my favourite things to do on holidays if the weather is at all cooperative. This is also something that can be scaled up or down depending on how fit everyone is. I have family members who “hike” on flat, paved roads and others who thrive on terrain as steep and challenging as the Grand Canyon. (I’m somewhere in-between those extremes! 🙂 )

8. Have a Sing-a-Long. My grandparents used to have everyone do this at Christmas when I was a child. We mostly sang traditional Christmas carols like Away in a Manger back then, but any kind of song would work well as long as people know the tune.

9. Reminisce. Bring out old home movies or photographs and tell stories about the people who are in them. My extended family does something like this every once in a great while, and I’m surprised every time by the new stories that are uncovered by the right comment or picture.

10. Watch Youtube Videos. My nephew loved showing the adults in the family his favourite Youtube videos when he was younger. I wouldn’t have thought of it myself, but it’s a fun way to get a conversation rolling or take a break from other activities. The cute animal videos alone could keep my family interested for quite a while.

0 Responses to 5 More Things to Do Instead of Exchanging Gifts This Holiday Season

Great ideas! I definitely see how the youtube one could be a real ice-breaker.

Decorating Christmas cookies together has become a family tradition for me and my husband. It was a wonderful way to get to know his kids, and now the decorating day is something we all look forward to!